Crimson Eyes
by DarkSecrets666
Summary: **"How long can we keep doing this?" a whisper breaks from pale lips, a tremble quivering the tones of desperation as impuissance drowned the male in anguish. "Just one more."** Ciel finds himself meeting the Lord Sebastian Michaelis and his older bastard half brother, Claude but the brothers have darker motivations and Ciel is caught right in the middle of it. Inspired by a film
1. Michaelis

"How long can we keep doing this?" a whisper breaks from pale lips, a tremble quivering the tones of desperation as impuissance drowned the male in anguish. The walls were painted in red as the colour bled from the wounds that sorrow had dug into the brick, sorrow life had inflicted on the young man as he stared down at the fireplace, a hand gripping his raven locks in distress.  
"Just one more."  
A choked sob emanated from the slightly younger, the men separated only by three years, as helplessness clutched at his tightening chest, anxiety setting its roots deep into the very capillaries of his lungs. "Then it's over?" he pushed back slightly, his back still hunched over in defeat even as he straightened up.  
"Yes."  
A sigh and a long pause re-birthed the ever frustrating game of silence before it was broken again with a short, "Alright," the young man turned his handsome face to the other male and nodded. "One more."  
A cold smile stretched across thin lips.

* * *

Near sleepless nights breaking into dawn as the wolves that are nightmares snap at the heels, chasing one from the land of dreams seems to be the way these things always start, alas this was exactly how sweet Ciel was awoken. He had been hounded by these terrible dreams for the better part of the year, since his dear cousin Elizabeth had been murdered on her trip to America.  
It had been a scandal for the newspapers to go wild over; a newly wedded wife murdered and where was her dashing husband? No one actually knew who or where he was except that he was handsome and had vanished a little before Elizabeth's body had been found. Many suspected fowl play but evidence had the police convicting another man for the murder.  
Even still, many gossip.  
"My lord?" the maid entered with a tray of tea and scones for the teen who sat up with a yawn, stretching out to relieve the cricks in his spine. He glanced at his maid who fumbled with the tea-set in a vain attempt to make a drinkable cup of tea.  
"Meirin, leave it. I'm perfectly capable of making my own cup of tea," he sighed and the red head nodded as her cheeks flushed the same vibrant colour of her hair. "Just... make my bed," he said as he scrambled out of the covers, giving the woman an easy task. As a maid, Meirin was useless, god bless her, but she was kind-hearted, trustworthy and an excellent shot. The first two were good enough to keep her around but being handy with a gun in these treacherous times had proven the difference between life and death for the boy in which she was assigned to protect.  
To protect poor Meirin's already damaged eyes, evident by her enormous rounded glasses, Ciel washed up and dressed behind a screen. He emerged as he pulled on his jacket and a motherly sigh caught Ciel's attention as the maid approached and tied the ribbon around the teen's neck. It had become habit for Meirin to mother the teen as Ciel's own mother had passed away due to the same poor health that riddled Ciel's own body, giving the seventeen year old childish attributes such as his large eyes, rounded cheeks and his small structure.  
It did bother Ciel somewhat to be babied but it was comforting to have someone step into the role of mother even if Meirin was technically being paid to do so. With her kind nature and sweet temperament, the little lord had no doubt the maid would be this motherly if she was some random woman on the street. Ciel supposed that it provided Meirin with some comfort too, having lost her bastard child almost five years ago. Ordinarily, a family of Ciel's status would have cast the girl out on the street for the pregnancy of a bastard but kindness ran deep in the Phantomhive family which was likely why the servants were so loyal.

"Ciel?" Vincent Phantomhive radiated wisdom when he entered a room, seeming that of a man worthy of respect. It was an aura that was well attained with a good heart, status and the experience that came with age. He smiled lovingly at his only child, ruffling the boy's hair which earned him a steady glare. Vincent chuckled, "You're never too old for me to fuss, my boy," he teased with that playful twinkle that was a result of a young spirit. A sigh regretfully reduced the Earl Phantomhive back to seriousness. "I'm afraid I must ask you to attend work with me and come with me to the ball this evening. Don't look at me like that; you know I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important."  
Ciel pouted even still but excepted that he would have to attend the dull event out on by his aunt that his father attended every season. His aunt Anne, Baroness Angelina Dalles-Burnett or Madam Red to her peers, was a cheery widow who had become a nurse so that she could assist in healing her dear big sister, Rachel who was Ciel's own mother. In that failure and the removal of her womb due to an accident that had killed her husband and unborn child, the Baroness spoilt her sister's son spent a fortune every year on Ciel's birthday and Christmas. Usually Ciel would have been insulted by the attempt to buy his affection but Ciel knew his aunt and understood it was the only way she could express how much she cared.  
"Who is attending this assemblage that is of such significance that I must attend?" Ciel couldn't help but demand, somewhat desperate to wiggle free of the crushing responsibility that was demanded of him. He hated social gatherings and was never one to be social which was why he was often allowed to remain house bound.  
"A potential business partner," Vincent said as he straightened out his jacket in the mirror. "Your aunt thinks this... Sebastian Michael? Michaels? And his brother Claude might be good for our company."  
"A couple more strays Anne has decided to take in?"  
Vincent chortled. "Not exactly. While the eldest, Claude, is a bastard child, they are a noble house."  
Ciel frowned. "Michaels? You mean Michaelis?"  
"That's the one! You know them?"  
The teen lord shook his head, his odd-coloured hair ruffling out the imperfections his father's fussing had caused. "No but I know of them. I came across an article around the time mother died. It was about the Michaelis family. The Lord Michaelis and his Lady were both slaughtered in the night. They never found the killer."  
"Tragic," Vincent commented gravely but tried to cheer his son with a smile. "Come, lad. We should be off before the workers decide pink is for girls and blue is for boys."

* * *

"You're early!" the lady in red cried in horror as her servants made last minute arrangements in the ballroom. "Fifteen minutes early, Vincent. You know how I feel about guests coming before everything is ready. Have you no compassion for my poor nerves?"

"On the contrary, I have the utmost respect for them," Vincent grumbled and Ciel tried to cover up a laugh with a cough. "Are you going to let us in, Anne, or must myself and my boy freeze to death?"  
"Ciel?" Anne immediately perked up as she spotted her favourite -and only- nephew. "Oh! How like your father you look! Except your eyes, you have..."  
"My mother's eyes, yes." Ciel finished out of habit by now. He heard the same repetitive speech every time he saw his aunt but this never stopped her from gushing over how handsome the boy was growing up to be. Or, perhaps maturing into since Ciel had failed to grow upward for several years now. "It's good to see you too, Anne."  
The red woman let her guests into the ballroom once the servants were done and returned to the door to greet floods of welcome guests into her home. It was quite amazing to see how many people enjoyed Madam Red's company enough to attend so many of her lavish parties.  
As usual, Ciel stayed well out of the way and kept to the back of the room with an unfinished glass of wine in his hand with no intention of drinking more than he absolutely had to.  
A chuckle from the side had a shiver running down the young lord's spine though he had no idea why. "Not a fan of parties either, I see?"  
Ciel looked up only to find himself staring into maroon eyes, captivated by the beauty of the owner. "I don't think anyone truly enjoys parties, they just pretend better."  
That earned a laugh, the nature somehow appearing seductive and seemed alter the temperature of the room a few degrees warmer. "And you and I are just to honest to comply? Perhaps you are right and everyone here is too intoxicated to realize how foolish they are."  
"Intoxicated people tend to be fools anyhow."  
The stranger grinned like a cat cornering its helpless prey. "Call me a fool then, for you are quite intoxicating."  
The little lord turned as red as his aunt's dress.  
"Sebastian," another handsome man approached though his attractive features were blemished by an expression of... nothingness. It seemed to freeze Ciel's very blood to see a man so void of anything. "If you're quite done flirting with children..."  
"I'm not a child."  
Finally an expression flickered on his face, a mixture of boredom and annoyance. "Of course. What are you? Ten? Twelve?"  
"Don't be ridiculous, Claude." Sebastian offered Ciel an apologetic smile. "He's a little moody. We're here to see the Phantomhive Earl and we can't seem to find him."  
"I'm sure father is around somewhere."  
"Father?" both of the gentlemen seemed genuinely surprised. "We were told the Phantomhive heir was an adult, not a boy," Claude sneered.  
"I'm seventeen."  
"Claude, please behave," Sebastian said, giving his brother a stern look before smiling charmingly at Ciel. "If you would, Lord Phantomhive, show us to your father."  
Desperate to have no more reason to deal with Claude, Ciel wasted no time in finding his father and introduced the three. He listened intently as his father spoke with the two dark haired gentlemen, leading the way into a more secluded part of the ballroom where they could talk without fear of interruptions.

"Why did you reject them, father?" Ciel asked as they were leaving, glancing back at Sebastian who was watching the Phantomhive heir.  
"I don't like them," Vincent said. "Either of them."  
"I liked Sebastian."  
Vincent snorted. "Of course you did. Everyone enjoys attention and he was paying much more attention to you than appropriate." he climbed into the back of the carriage. "And that bastard son, Claude... He was cold. Very cold. They don't seem the type to help run a toy factory."  
Ciel begrudged agreeing with his father but, as much as Sebastian had made Ciel hot and bothered, Vincent was right.


	2. In The Garden

"I'll need the ring."  
There was silence between the two men as the older male turned to the other, jealousy and rage glinting in his eyes for just a moment before its spark was hidden away. With aggressive movements, he ripped the ring from his long fingers and threw it at the younger who caught it effortlessly. "I'll be wanting it back," he said passively but his fingers flexed, balling up into fists in his anger.

* * *

Hiding out in his bedroom, Ciel watched from the window as his father left the manor in the carriage. With a lonesome sigh, the Phantomhive heir returned to his usual seat by the fire with a book in hand to quietly broaden his mind with reading. Once he had hated the activity and now he found he enjoyed living the adventures scripted on the pages, imagining he was some great hero working modestly by day and slaying demons by night.

An impatient knock had him hurtling back to reality as Meirin anxiously peered into the room. "M-my Lord? Er... a Sebastian is here to see you, your Lordship, sir." she squeaked. "I told him you were busy but he was quite insistent."  
Frowning with confusion, the boy followed the maid down to the entrance hall. "I'm afraid my father isn't here, Lord Michaelis, he has gone to Lady Midford's soiree," Ciel said as he steadily made his way down the grand staircase to the dark haired lord who looked up at the boy and gave him one of his infamous charming smiles.  
"Yes, that is my destination as well," Sebastian replied.  
"Well, then, you're very lost, Lord Michaelis," Ciel sassed, a hand on his hip and an eyebrow arched as he silently demanded an explanation to the attractive male's presence in his household. Not that he truly objected to the Lord's company but it was always healthy to know the motives of a man before one welcomes him with open arms.  
Even if that were not so, the boy was curious by nature though many confused that with being nosey.  
Sebastian was not offended by the young Phantomhive's tone, more amused if his half smirk was anything to go by. "Actually, I wondered if you might attend with me," he told the boy. "I understand the Lady Midford is your aunt..."  
"No."  
"No?"  
"I have no intentions of attending no matter the relation," Ciel huffed, folding his arms in his stubborn resolve not to attend.  
Taking a step towards the boy, Sebastian removed his top-hat. "That is a shame," his maroon eyes seemed to glint red as they stared into Ciel's large, innocent blue depths. "It was my intention to remain close to you throughout the evening."  
Ciel's lush, plump lips parted as he sucked in a breath and his cheeks flushed pink. "I... I'm not sure my father would..."  
"I'm not asking your father. I'm asking you."

No one would have predicted the Phantomhive heir showing up at a party and yet here he was with Sebastian Michaelis no less. All eyes were on the pair, some glaring while others expressed concern for none among the guests truly knew the Lord Michaelis and feared his intentions were less than honourable.  
Vincent kept a close eye on his son. He knew all too well the damage that could be done if Ciel was taken advantage of. His son was a stranger to flattery and love and could therefore be easily seduced into a distasteful arrangement with the Lord Michaelis. Of course, he couldn't say anything; if his suspicions proved false, Ciel would never truly trust him to be rational again and so had to remain a silent observer.

"Diedrich..."  
A frustrated glare came from the plump baron. "I do not meddle in private affairs, Phantomhive," he huffed, glancing around nervously to be certain that no unwanted ears heard their frantic whispers.  
"You know I wouldn't ask if I wasn't desperate, my friend."  
With a sigh of defeat, Baron Diedrich nodded.

Ball gowns flared as the elegant ladies were spun around by their dance partners, dainty shoes tapped on the wine-stained carpet as laughter exploded through the missteps of newer dancers. Ciel watched the parade of colour from his table as Sebastian kept his word and remained close to the young Phantomhive, whispering in his ear. A tremble ran through the boy's spine as his cheeks flushed a pink that Sebastian seemed to find delightful.  
"Would you like to dance, my Lord?" Sebastian asked, as his fingers trailed down the boy's neck.  
"I don't know how."  
"I'll show you." The head of the Michaelis house stood and took Ciel's hand, leading him out of the room and to the magnificent garden. Pulling the teen close, he began to lead him in a waltz. "One, two, three..." Sebastian instructed, a hand on the younger's hip just a little lower than appropriate.  
"I'm beginning to feel... dizzy."  
Sebastian chuckled as they slowed to a halt. "Such a fragile little flower," he said but didn't release the boy. "Such a pretty little flower..." he murmured as he slowly leaned forward, closing the space between their lips inch by inch. "But, my god, you are beautiful." he whispered as their lips brushed together gently.  
"Sebastian..."  
"Shh," then Ciel was silenced by a fierce kiss and a strong body pressing against his own as they two males pulled each other near as if desperate to mould into one another's very flesh. Pressed against a pillar, Ciel found himself in severe misconduct as his mouth was fervently claimed by his companion who pressed himself between the teen's thighs. Soft moans spilled from the young heir's lips as Sebastian's mouth trailed along the boy's jaw and down to his neck as their groins pressed together.  
With no desire to protest, Ciel found himself melting into the other Lord's very touch. "Yes..." he whimpered as their clothed groins continued to rub hard against one another, leaving the two men trembling against each other in their need for more. "Sebastian... we...ohhh..." Ciel's eyes rolled back as Sebastian's hand slipped into the boy's trousers and pressed into his ass. Though a clear virgin, Ciel was no stranger to self-pleasure so the finger pressing deep inside him was a welcome addition to the stimulation he was already receiving from his dance partner's own body.  
Near soundless grunts of bliss were heard from the older of the two, echoing quietly in the teen's ear as the two continued pleasuring each other in the shadows of the garden until they both found themselves climaxing.  
While Ciel slumped against the pillar, Sebastian cleaned them up with a handkerchief and some water from the garden pond. "My apologies. I rarely get that carried away," he said with a shameless grin at the mess that was Ciel. "But I think you rather enjoyed having me against you. I suspect the thought of myself inside you might also excite you."  
Ciel would have blushed if his cheeks were not already scarlet. "You are a lustful little lecher," he accused somewhat breathlessly as he attempted to compose himself but he still felt weak and flustered by their unexpected sexual adventures.  
"Little?"  
Ciel shifted awkwardly, still very much embarrassed while Sebastian remained amused by the teen's bashful reaction to something so embedded into the primal human nature. "Maybe not little," Ciel mumbled begrudgingly and sat himself down on one of the benches. "But we shouldn't be so... active in... whatever relation this is."  
Sebastian chuckled. "You're cute when you're flustered."  
"I hate you."  
Lord Michaelis sat beside the teen and kissed those soft lips gently. "No you don't."  
He was right.  
Ciel wanted him. Ciel wanted this man, this bad influence, like he had never wanted anything before. It was a hunger that burned in his veins and scorched the edges of reason and threatened to destroy any and all thought of rationality. His entire being ached with this wanting, this insatiable need for the man just inches away from him. It was a lust hot like no other that flared like wildfire each time they were even in the same room.  
With a sigh, the little lordling surrendered as his mouth was claimed by Lord Michaelis again, his arms slipping around Sebastian's as the man in question pulled the earl closer by the waist. "I want to be inside you before the night is through," Sebastian whispered in the boy's ear and Ciel felt his insides turn to mush, his legs to jelly and his heart pound in his chest.  
"I... we can't..." Ciel gasped, his mind fogging as Sebastian's mouth found the teen's neck and began kissing, nipping and teasing once more.  
"Why not?"  
And why not? It wasn't like Ciel was unwilling, that their affair could result in a bastard or that either of them were promised to anyone. Why not, indeed? They were both hot with desire, longing and aching with the need for each other. Of course, that was precisely why they should not. "It's... it's only lust," the Phantomhive heir stammered.  
Sebastian's lips curved against the skin of the teen in his arms. "For now."  
Again, Ciel knew he was right.


	3. Vulnerable

**_Hi guys! I know it's been forever since I've posted anything and yes that makes me a terrible person but I have had so much going on. I have a girlfriend who is trans, finally came out fully to my mum as bi and I've been working through some personal issues. Recently a friend of mum's was murdered by her husband and that sucked, especial since we think her eldest son (age 6) had to call the ambulance. Horrible stuff, guys._**

 ** _Anyway, mature content, guys. Seriously. Enjoy_**

 ** _S_**

* * *

"He refused you?" a sneer slithered past parted lips as the owner's cold gaze fixed upon the shamed male by the fire. "You're losing your touch," despite the mocking, his hand rested on the shoulder that bore such failure. "Make him yours. Do it soon. We cannot afford our plan to fail. You know this."

The thinner male stepped away from the warmth of the fireplace and nodded.

* * *

As though by fate, it was not long before Ciel Phantomhive found himself once again in Sebastian Michaelis' company. Of course the perhaps not so accidental meeting on Sebastian's part was welcomed by Ciel with a look crossed with a slither of delight and a near perfect attempt of indifference. Anyone else may have missed the faint flush of pleasure at Sebastian's appearance but not the Lord Michaelis whom was gentleman enough not to comment.

"Good Afternoon, Lord Michaelis," the Phantomhive heir greeted formally, his eyes darting down to the cobblestone road where their unexpected assemblage had found the two almost lovers. As the memories of the garden surfaced, the teen's cheeks became ever more scarlet.  
"Hello, Ciel."  
The familiar greeting made the young earl warm inside. He cleared his throat and continued on with Sebastian following at his side as Ciel knew he would. "What brings you to the centre of London?" he asked the Michaelis lord, stirring up conversation in the hopes of keeping the older male's company a little while longer.  
"I had a craving to find myself among life," Sebastian mused as his long legs easily kept up with Ciel's pace. "Home is so dreary with only my brother and we both know what a cheery fellow dear Claude can obviously be." The sarcasm seeped through like bitterness and did not go unnoticed.  
"Did you two have a fight?"  
Sebastian chuckled. "Hardly. A brotherly spat. Nothing more." He assured the little lord, "And yourself? What brings you here?"  
"I wanted to find a gift for Father." Ciel replied. "It's his birthday tomorrow and... Would you like to attend? It's only a dinner party. No dancing, just..."  
"Of course," Sebastian replied with the smallest trace of a smirk.  
Silence fell upon them as Ciel checked the time and sighed. "I should get home. If I'm not home for supper, my servants tend to get... restless." he hesitated, unwilling to say farewell so soon, "Would you... like to join me? It shouldn't be too late for afternoon tea."  
Sebastian's subtle smirk relaxed into a soft smile. "Nothing would give me greater pleasure," he assured the young lord and allowed Ciel to lead the way to the carriage that awaited them. Ciel got in and Sebastian took his place opposite the Phantomhive heir, gazing at him with those eyes that seemed crimson in the dimming light of the afternoon sun. Ciel gazed back, unwavering and unashamed in his stare.  
Reaching over, Sebastian knocked off the teen's top-hat and ran his fingers through those locks of a strange grey-blue. Ciel found his eyes slipping shut, feeling the elder's fingers in his hair and the odd sense of intimacy that came with it. A chuckle from Sebastian had Ciel's deep blue eyes snapping open again.  
"What?" the little lord demanded.  
"You're like a kitten," he teased with a wicked grin. "Odd for someone who's father is considered the Queen's dog."  
"I'm allergic to cats," Ciel replied coolly.  
Sebastian sighed with a mock mournfulness. "Of course you are," he said, leaning back in his seat, jerking slightly as the carriage went over a few bumps in the road. "You couldn't be completely perfect."  
The Phantomhive's cheeks flushed a dusk pink at the flattery. "No one is perfect."  
Sebastian smiled at Ciel, a smile that lacked the tantalising charm or the wickedness that promised bad behaviour, a smile that seemed simply a genuine smile. "No but you come very close."  
Ciel opened and closed his mouth several times but no sound came out.

Upon arriving at the Phantomhive manor, Ciel found it as peaceful as ever -minus a few broken pots, curtsey of dear Meyrin- and led his guest to the lounge. They were alone in the household except for the servants, Ciel's father visiting a friend on 'urgent business', and the two were served tea as they eased into conversation.  
"...when the winter comes, everything is in such high demand ...that we...we..." Ciel slowed to a halt as he glanced at Lord Michaelis who was gazing at the young lord. "Um... Sebastian... you're staring..."  
"Mm," Sebastian agreed as his fingers followed his own gaze and his thumb brushed over the teen's lower lip. Those petals of pink parted and Ciel let out a shaky breath, not daring to move as the raven haired lord simply surveyed the teen's mouth.  
In seconds, it seemed, Sebastian's lips had found Ciel's. A groan, half surprise, half great pleasure, vibrated in the little lord's throat as they kissed with such passion that it warmed all the lonely places of their hearts. Ciel felt himself being guided back as Sebastian leaned over him, kissing the teen vigorously as he rested himself between Ciel's elegant thighs and their hips began to rock together in a slow but firm rhythm. Ciel gripped Sebastian's silk shirt between dainty fingers as Sebastian's own caressed Ciel's delicate body, the older lord's hand running down the younger's side and rested securely on the Phantomhive heir's upper thigh. Tremors ran through Ciel's smaller form, gasping for breath in the occasions their lips parted. He was intoxicated by the other, drunk on desire and high on the pleasure of their hardened groins rubbing together.  
"Sebastian..." Ciel murmured breathlessly and Sebastian's hand slipped up the earl's shorts, groping the plump cheek of the little lord's rear. The action was greeted by a small squeak that made Sebastian chuckle softly and his mouth descended on the boy's throat. "N-not here..." he protested rather feebly but Sebastian stopped. He didn't get off him, simply halting in his advances.  
"Not here?" he grinned down at the fervid flushed face of Lord Phantomhive. With a devilish grin, he pressed himself against the teen again, enjoying both the pleasure and the moan from the blushing male beneath him. "Shall we... take this upstairs?" he practically purred.  
Ciel hesitated then nodded.

* * *

"What have you got for me," Lord Earl Vincent Phantomhive asked of his friend as the Baron Diedrich opened up a file and lay it out on his desk for his guest to see. "Parents... murdered... married? Wife... Elizabeth? That bastard married ..."

"Then killed her for the fortune, yes," Diedrich sighed.  
"I wondered why he wasn't with his brother at the soiree," The Earl growled furiously. "They would have recognised him. A dangerous game to come here." He continued going through the papers of the file, his detest and disgust for the brother mounting. "All for money..."  
The Baron shifted. "Then, you have to ask yourself..."  
"...what do they want with My Son?" Vincent finished.

* * *

The click of the lock in the door was followed by a groan as Ciel's mouth was claimed by Sebastian's as the smaller lord pushed off Sebastian's jacket and it fell to the floor in a heap as the two continued to stumble onto the bed. Shoes were left discarded and Ciel's shirt was somewhere on the floor.

Lying down on his sheets, Ciel willingly parted his legs as Sebastian crawled between them. Their lips found each other as their groins pressed together again. Ciel's trembling fingers fumbled with Sebastian's shirt buttons and the raven haired lord shrugged off the silk item while Ciel's hands found the buckle of the elder's belt. Tugging at it desperately, Ciel managed to unbuckle the belt and pushed Sebastian's trousers down as far as he could, allowing Sebastian to do the rest. With ease, Lord Michaelis slipped off little Lord Phantomhive's shorts and eagerly returned his mouth to Ciel's.  
Naked, with nothing between them, Ciel had never felt so exposed. Sebastian's skin against his own was both sensual and comforting, a comfort that helped in the uncomfortable ritual of preparing the teen for his first time. Sebastian was incredibly considerate, working gently and easing his lover when nerves set in.  
Then, at last, Sebastian pushed himself inside.  
"Are you... alright?" it was Sebastian's voice that shook, bursting with the desire to move but forcing himself to remain still for the virgin he was gladly deflowering. Ciel nodded, unable to find his voice in the confused mesh of desire, pleasure and pain. He winced slightly as Sebastian began to move, slowly and carefully. "Relax," Sebastian breathed, leaning into his lover as he buried his face into the nape of Ciel's neck. "Just feel me in you..."  
Ciel shifted his hips and Sebastian thrust forward, hitting that spot inside him that had the teen seeing stars. The cry of ecstasy leaving Ciel's lips told Sebastian all he needed to know and he began moving faster, no longer holding back quite as much as he had. He drove himself forward again and again as Ciel's body responded to the bliss that had them both trembling.  
"Sebastian..."  
Their hips rocked together, Ciel's fingers pressing into Sebastian's back as the elder Lord lost control of himself. Hamming into the teen beneath him, Sebastian relished in the noises the little lord made as pleasure drove him to the brink of insanity.  
"S-Sebastian!"  
The ecstasy that rippled throughout Ciel's being was like nothing he could have prepared for, devouring him into the belly of madness as he screamed and called his lover's name. He cling ever tighter to the body above him, his moans and cries in time with the deep, hard thrusts of Sebastian's hips. Ciel wasn't even sure there was pain anymore; all he could focus on was the intense ecstasy that their bodies created together.  
"Sebastian... don't stop..." Ciel caught himself pleading, a plea Sebastian responded to by moving faster, harder as their climax built.  
A cry burst free of the little lord's lips as he orgasmed, feeling the other cum inside him as Sebastian pressed himself in deep. Panting, the pair clung to each other as they gently rode out their orgasmic high. Still connected to the teen, Sebastian pressed kisses to Ciel's neck and shoulder, knowing that affection was what was needed in his lover's vulnerable state. "We're going to clean up now," Sebastian murmured, "A hot bath and then I shall stay with you."  
Ciel nodded and groaned as he felt the elder male withdraw from their connection. Whisking the teen up in his arms, Sebastian carried the little lord to the bathroom where he ran a hot bath for them both. Setting Ciel into the heated water, he let the boy simply relax there while he took it upon himself to have the sheets changed by a servant.  
Returning to the ball in the bath, Sebastian climbed in too and began to wash the unusually quiet lord. "You will be sore for a while," Sebastian's voice was low and soft, "but the bath will help ease... your..." he fell silent as Ciel leaned up and pressed his lips to the raven haired lord's. Without hesitation, Sebastian pulled the younger closer as they kissed but the tenderness became passionate and they were rubbing against each other once again as the bath water sloshed around them.  
"Ah..." Ciel gasped against Sebastian's mouth as his hips were lowered onto his lover's. With Sebastian back inside him, the teen began moving his hips steadily; rising and falling, he set his own pace as he clung to the man before him. They kissed eagerly between moans, Ciel's hips moving faster as Sebastian guided the little lord in his movements. "Sebastian..." the teen panted against his lover's mouth, "yes..."  
Their climax built up steadily and, as he came alongside his lover, Ciel found himself trembling in Sebastian's arms with the strong urge to cry. Petting the Phantomhive heir's hair, Sebastian held the small bundle in his arms for as long as was needed. He washed them both up and helped the little lord dry between reassuring kisses and gentle caresses.  
Dry and clad in his nightshirt, Ciel found himself curled up in bed with Lord Sebastian Michaelis whom had wrapped his arms around his little lover and was holding him close beneath the duvet.  
Closing his eyes, Ciel slept without nightmares.

* * *

 ** _Please leave a comment xx_**


	4. Maze of Roses

**_Why is January so bloody cold? Anyway, mature content. Please review. Enjoy x_**

* * *

Ciel woke not long after dawn, warm and content, still held tenderly in the arms of his lover whom remained asleep beside the teen lord. Sebastian's face was nuzzled into the back of Ciel's neck, his body protectively curled around his lover but, as Ciel moved, Sebastian's body automatically adjusted and allowed Ciel to cuddle into the elder lord. Sebastian didn't continue sleeping for long and his fingers began running up and down the teen's spine as they just held one another.  
Ciel's hand ran along his lover's chest, exploring a body that was so new but now more familiar than anyone else's. He was tired and achy yet he had never felt more alive; it was an odd feeling to have one's emotions so tangled in simply having a specific person near by. Of course he wasn't quite in love with Sebastian: it was much too soon for that, Ciel decided, but he felt something very close and he knew that this affection would eventually grow into the love they both so desperately craved from one another.  
As if sensing these thoughts, Sebastian's fingers left the teens spine and ran gently along Ciel's jaw to the little lord's chin, tilting his lover's face up to kiss those soft petal lips. Ciel grinned, unable to help himself, as they kissed over and over for a while. "I must leave," Sebastian told his lover quietly and chuckled at the whine of protest that the young lord responded with, "I will be back this evening, never fear." he promised and slipped from Ciel's arms. Sebastian could feel those big blue eyes watching him as he dressed.  
Clothed, Sebastian returned to Ciel's side for another kiss. "Don't look so sad, love," he murmured, "I'll be alone with you before you know it," he kissed him once more for good measure and left the bedroom as Ciel sulked.

* * *

The day was spent decorating the ballroom, setting up dinning tables and a few chess matches in the lounge. Various Lords, Dukes and Barons along with some of their wives filled the rooms as music played and the loudness of voices made it difficult for conversation but the guests made do, greeting one another and Vincent to wish the Phantomhive Earl a very happy birthday.

Vincent graciously accepted gifts and greetings, making his way through each guest so that they all had a turn greeting him. Then he saw who he had been looking for, the dark-haired intruder Vincent's son had invited along with the bastard brother. Struggling to remain calm, the senior Lord Phantomhive watched furiously as Sebastian Michaelis took Ciel's hand and place a kiss on the soft, pale flesh then led the young Phantomhive to another room, both beaming and talking like pre-teens with their first crush.  
If Vincent didn't know what he had learnt yesterday, he would have indeed believed that Sebastian harboured some deep affection for his son; the Michaelis Lord played the love-drunk fool well.

Ciel groaned as they kissed ardently, crawling onto his lover's lap and straddling Sebastian eagerly in his need for closeness and attention. Lots and lots of attention, attention that Sebastian gladly provided as his hands gripped the teen's hips and drew him closer. Without hesitation, Ciel rolled his hips forward; grinding against his lover, all the little lord wanted was to feel his lover once again inside him.  
"God, I missed you," Sebastian breathed in his lover's ear, his hand slipping into the teen's trousers and to the loosened hole he had occupied only last night. Pushing a finger in, Sebastian's groin hardened further at the moan that left the lips of the young man atop him. "I thought about you all day, craving just to touch you." he confessed as he used his fingers to pleasure his lover, "I am greedy, however. Now I'm touching you-" Ciel was bouncing on his fingers now "-I want to be inside you."  
"Ah...yes..." Ciel whimpered, trying to keep vocalising his pleasure to a minimum. "I want you."  
Sebastian had Ciel stand up and pulled the teens trousers to his ankles then had the little lord get down on his elbows and knees. Getting behind his lover, Sebastian impatiently unbuckled the belt of his own trousers and pushed them down some to free himself only to push into the young lord bent before him.  
It was easier this time and Ciel was soon pushing back against his lover as he felt Sebastian thrust inside him at a pace much harder than last time. There were no words, no thought other than the register of the ecstasy they received from one another and the desire to keep moving as much as they could in their need to feel more of this bliss.  
Ciel found his nails digging into the carpet as he groaned in pleasure, unable to find words that would adequately express his euphoria as he was being thoroughly fucked into the floor. He felt Sebastian grip his hips tighter, ramming in faster and shoving firmly into that wonderful spot that made little lord Phantomhive want to scream.  
The teen covered his own mouth to stop himself.  
It wasn't much longer before the two reached their limit, climaxing only seconds apart. After a moment to calm themselves, they cleaned up and made themselves presentable while grinning widely at the sin they had committed. Sebastian pulled Ciel close for a kiss, still unable to keep the smiles off their faces.

Vincent noticed immediately when Michaelis and Ciel returned to the party some time after they had slipped away. Ciel was caught in conversation with his aunt as Sebastian returned to his brother and Vincent made his way to the brothers, his expression cold and his hands balled in fists of rage.  
"A word." He ordered, maintaining his calmness with difficulty and led the brothers to his office where he pulled out the file and handed it to Sebastian. "The moment I met the two of you, I knew there was something I didn't like. So I did some digging. You know of Baron Diedrich and his connections, I assume?"  
The dark-haired brothers said nothing as they glanced through the file.  
"Wives you've both had has mysteriously died or vanished in the last three years. Your parents butchered, by your hands, I would guess. Your money has been mounting but hasn't gone into your home, your clothes... Your parents left you in debt, then?"  
"What exactly are you saying, Lord Phantomhive?" Sebastian closed the file, "All I hear is guess work, nothing that would get us imprisoned."  
"Which is why this hasn't been handed to Scotland yard." Vincent replied coolly, "But it can be handed around, your reputation destroyed and perhaps someone may even go to extremes to have you killed."  
Claude smiled, cold and shrewd. "But you haven't which means you want something."  
Vincent opened a drawer on his desk and pulled out his cheque book, jotting down a significant sum. "I want you to leave London, leave England, and never return." he said as he handed Claude the cheque. "I think this is more than enough to set your affairs in order."  
"Very well," Claude nodded. "We can accept-"  
"What about Ciel?" Sebastian interrupted, glancing between the two looking stricken, "I can't just leave him."  
For just a moment, Vincent was almost convinced that Michaelis might actually care for the Phantomhive heir. The moment passed and Vincent reminded himself who he was speaking to. Narrowing his eyes, the Earl spoke, "Yes. Ciel." he paused, "Then, I have another favour to ask."  
"You'll have to add to this for another favour, Phantomhive," Claude said as he waved the cheque and pocketed it.  
"Yes, I thought you'd say that," Vincent muttered then spoke more clearly, directly to Sebastian. "I want you to find Ciel and... and utterly, completely break his heart."

* * *

Ciel beamed when he saw Sebastian approaching him but his smile faded as he noted his lover's solemn expression. He allowed the elder lord to take his hand and lead him into the gardens and out of the earshot of any of the many guests. They wandered, hand in hand, through the tall hedged maze decorated with thousands of roses, getting lost as they walked together for a long while in silence. Ciel didn't dare say a word, knowing Sebastian would speak when he was ready or, at least, when he found his voice again.

Eventually, the couple found a bench in one of the many dead ends and sat down together.  
Sebastian's hand slipped from Ciel's. "I'm leaving." he said simply, not looking at his lover.  
"Oh... did you want me to walk you-"  
"Not the party," Sebastian stood, keeping his back to the teen. "I'm leaving you."  
Ciel felt his heart crash to the floor and shatter. "M-me?"  
"Yes," still, Sebastian did not turn around and his voice was thick, "It would be best if I cut off this before you become too attached."  
"Too attached?"  
"It was just a bit of fun," Sebastian told him, "Claude and I are leaving London and heading to America most likely. There I hope to get married and spend my days."  
"Then... there is someone else?" Ciel could not breathe, his hands gripping the bench as he lost his eyesight to tears.  
"Yes." Sebastian returned to his lover and pressed a kiss to the little lord's mouth, unable to deny himself one last kiss. "Goodbye, Ciel." he murmured and left Ciel crying silently on the bench, lost in a maze of roses in the heat of June.


	5. Anguish

Paperwork mounted on a mahogany desk, the curtains drawn and only a few candles illuminated the room. An ink-pot remained uncorked with a quill resting in the depths of its charcoal black content as Vincent wearily rested his eyes in his chair behind the desk. Dozing after hours of paperwork, the Phantomhive Earl jolted awake as the study door clicked shut behind an unexpected visitor.

"I thought you would be gone by now," Vincent didn't bother greeting his guest as the tall, slender man approached the earl with slow, precise steps. The guest did not speak, drawing ever closer to the earl. "You're not welcome here." Vincent began to stand but his visitor moved quickly, golden eyes flashing with cold rage as a blade wedged into the Phantomhive Earl's throat before carving from one side to the other.

Wide-eyed, Vincent reached for his attacker, spluttering as he knocked over papers and his ink while he tried in vain to take his retreating murderer with him. Loosing blood quickly, the Senior Phantomhive collapsed to the floor, staining the rug as his life slipped away.

Locking the door from the inside, the visitor left through the window.

Dawn was approaching.

* * *

Staring at the train ticket in his hand, Sebastian waited for the 3 O'clock train to approach and looked up as he heard the familiar whistle that announced the arrival of the three-carriage long steam train. Glancing out from the station café, Sebastian didn't move; his brother hadn't joined him, promising only to be an hour or two behind as he dealt with 'affairs' and 'business' that needed attending to.

At last, the Michaelis lord stood and approached the train with his suitcase. Something stopped him, however, from boarding and, before anything could be said, Sebastian was rushing out of the station to a carriage.

* * *

Ciel was miserable.

He hadn't seen his father since the night before, his... lover had left him and now he was roaming London's streets in the desperate hope of some kind of distraction: a new book or perhaps a new game? Ciel couldn't decide what would make him feel the least lonely until he happened upon a group of children playing games together. Games involved people, friends and the pampered lord was short of those he could call a friend.

Entering his favourite book shop, the young Phantomhive wandered through shelves of novels to his usual genre category where Ciel was surprised by a young man with raven hair and crimson eyes waiting for the little lord in the quiet corner of the store.

"Sebastian..." the name left the teen's quivering lips before he could stop himself. "I thought you had gone. Didn't you have a train to catch?"

"Ciel," Sebastian stepped forward. "I had to see you... I needed to tell you..." he took a startled Ciel's hand and gave the gloved fingers an affectionate squeeze. "Your father told me to. Or, rather, my brother and your father conspired to separate us. I know you have no reason to believe me or trust me after... but, I swear, leaving you is the last thing I want." Sebastian's words were hurried and desperate, his eyes filled with all the urgency of a man daring to hope that it wasn't too late to put things right.

Ciel had no idea how to respond; of course he was delighted beyond reason to see his lover again, to hold his hand and stare into those warm eyes, but why would his father try to tear his son from happiness? He couldn't understand why his father would be so cruel, assuming Sebastian was telling the truth. "But why? Why would father..."

Sebastian's expression became the very picture of guilt and regret. "I... have done things. Claude and I are the cause of many a person's misery and your father was concerned that I was using you as a means to pay off debts my late parents hooked us into." he explained, being as honest as he felt was necessary but he couldn't bring himself to tell his little love about the death that followed himself and his brother wherever they went. "Debts your father has paid for the price of my leaving England and never returning."

"Then why did you come back?"

"Because..." Sebastian tenderly stroked his lover's cheek, "I couldn't bare the thought of never kissing you again."

And their lips met...

Making love in a carriage was a lot harder than one might suspect, however the two lovers made it work. Ciel's shorts were discarded on one of the seats, his shirt undone as Sebastian kissed his throat while the little lord moved atop his lover with the elder lord inside him. Bouncing eagerly, Ciel groaned and clung to his lover as Sebastian's hands gripped his lover's hips, guiding the teen up and down. His fingertips pressed into Ciel's skin, nails drawing blood but the teen didn't care so long as Sebastian was touching him.

They kissed, nipped and bit whatever patch of skin their lips could find; their hips rocked together urgently as they gasped and moaned and made love like they hadn't seen each other in years, holding each other with the earnest desire to never let go. Names left panting lips as their movements became evermore accelerated in their need to reach completion with one another.

Sebastian gripped his lover's hair as his teeth sunk into his lover's skin, both reaching a powerful climax and Ciel sagged into Sebastian's arms.

Placing kisses on the marks he had left on the young lord in his arms, Sebastian murmured an apology then helped his tired lover clean up before allowing Ciel to sleep curled up on his lap, wrapped in Sebastian's arms.

Meanwhile, the carriage driver took a mental note to charge extra for couples to cover cleaning costs.

Upon arriving at the Phantomhive manor, the young Phantomhive heir was incredibly astounded to find he had guests. He stepped out of the carriage with Sebastian close behind him as Meirin rushed over, her large eyes wide and tearful with red stains on her skirts. She looked more distressed than Ciel had ever seen her which was saying something since the kindly maid was usually distressed about something.

"Young master, you mustn't go in, no you mustn't!"

"Why?" Ciel inquired, becoming concerned. "What's happened?"

"It's your father, Sir..."

Those words had the teen rushing in, following the scattered officers in his home to the study where the body of Vincent Phantomhive lay on his stomach in a pool of his own blood. Ink dripped from the edge of the desk, the quill lay on the floor, snapped in two, and the windows had been left ajar. Dried blood coated the papers on the desk while wet blood still seeped through the pages of paperwork left undone.

A wordless cry of despair erupted throughout the room; a horrible, tortured cry of a world falling apart and shattering into dust as Ciel fell to his knees in anguish, his hands to his mouth, still hanging open in horror, his eyes wide with shock. A trembling hand reached out as if to touch the corpse of his father but arms wrapped around the little lord and Ciel had not the will to fight as his lover pulled him up into his arms.

Sebastian carried the dazed bundle away from the grievous scene and sat with him in the lounge as the officers did their job in the study. Offers of food and tea were met with silence; the teen simply stared with those prodigious, sapphire eyes. Sebastian seemed to take it upon himself to tell people what to do, help as much as he could and to comfort the new Phantomhive Earl best he could.

When, finally, the body was removed and the last of the officers gave their sympathies, Sebastian tried to encourage the little earl to eat something but the teen couldn't manage more than a few bites of a sandwich and some hot tea. Giving up on the fruitless endeavour, Sebastian carried Ciel upstairs to the young lord's bedroom. After a bath, Sebastian helped Ciel ready for bed; it seemed that sleep was probably the best thing for the teen.

"Will you stay?" Ciel asked quietly, speaking for the first time since he had seen his father's corpse.

Sebastian kissed the little lord's forehead. "Of course," he agreed and climbed into bed with his beloved, holding the fragile bundle close. He gently pet the teen's hair, providing any comfort he could to ease his lover into sleep but over an hour passed without Ciel managing to find sleep. "Is there anything you need?" The raven haired lord asked his lover as his fingers ran along the teen's side.

Those enormous, sad eyes looked up at Sebastian, almost pleadingly. "Can you make it stop hurting?"

An ache clenched Sebastian's heart and he crawled between his lover's slender thighs. He proceeded to make love to his mourning sweetheart, slow and tender with all the affection the young earl needed to feel something other than the pain that was breaking his heart. With doting touches and adoring kisses, Sebastian moved inside his lover with a yearning he could not suppress and his body seemed to leak the words the Michaelis Lord so desperately desired to whisper as his fingers caressed the writhing teen beneath him.

 _I love you._

 _I love you._

 _I love you._

Only quiet whimpers and gasps of pleasure was heard. Breath on skin, the rustle of the sheets, all muffled sounds in the background that seemed meaningless as the lover's bodies tangled together in a sorrowful ecstasy that eased the hurt and brought some measure of happiness into the darkness. Their love-making was no longer just a distraction but a way for a broken heart to find some way to heal, a way to warm the loneliness that loss bleeds into us.

"Ciel," Sebastian breathed as his lover arched into his body, Ciel eyes squeezed tightly closed as his lips remained parted, allowing all the little gasps and moans to freely express his pleasure. His fingers were pressed into Sebastian's lower back, his own hips rocking with his lovers.

"Sebastian," Ciel mewled as if to reply, their movements becoming more fervent as their climax approached. They clung tightly to each other as they reached their peak, both shuddering with bliss as they orgasmed. Neither let go of the other, even when their bodies reverted back to being two beings.

It took very little time for Ciel to fall asleep after that, resting peacefully in a realm of dreams only accessible when he slept beside his beloved. Sebastian remained awake for a while, keeping watch over his lover in case the teen's sleep wasn't as much an escape as the elder lord hoped it would be.

The hours rolled by and Sebastian could remain awake no longer, sleeping with his beloved wrapped securely in his arms.


	6. Dust

The funeral of Earl Vincent Phantomhive was a quiet affair considering the late earl's importance but, with Her Majesty present, only a select few were allowed to attend and the son of the deceased appreciated this arrangement.

The day was bright, the sky blue and cloudless while the air was warm with a pleasant breeze but it just didn't seem right for the day to be so delightful as the Lord Phantomhive was lowered into the ground. It should have been raining, Ciel thought, to express the misery of a funeral and the misery in Ciel's own heart.

A hand slipped into Ciel's own and the young earl found a sort of peace in his heart as Sebastian gave his lover's hand a soft squeeze. The prompt of love eased Ciel's heartache some; the reminder that he was not alone gave him solace and the teen said his silent farewells as he dropped a white rose into the hole his father now rested before the ditch was filled up with dirt and earth.

"Come, Sebastian," Ciel said softly as the guests began to leave one by one.

"Would you not like to stay longer, my love?" Sebastian asked, his gloved thumb gently rubbing the back of his lover's hand.

"There is nothing left for me here."

* * *

The day's sunshine wore on but as did the gloom of the new Earl Phantomhive.

Removing his coat as he stepped through the doors of his own home, he felt it seemed somewhat emptier than before. Of course, that was absurd as the late Phantomhive was usually out for business anyway. Perhaps it was something in the knowledge that Ciel's father was never coming back that had the manor seeming much bigger than it usually felt.

A small sob choked the young earl.

Sebastian took pity on his little love and embraced him tenderly, pressing a kiss to the teen's cheek. "Shh," he hushed, lifting his dearest into his arms. Sebastian held Ciel tightly as he carried the orphan to his bedroom only to set him down on the bed. Ciel's face was pale and his eyes were puffy from crying. He sniffed as he wiped his face on his sleeve while allowing Lord Michaelis to remove his boots. Ciel's jacket was also removed and he lay down on one side of the bed, expecting Sebastian to join him. Sebastian quickly kicked off his shoes, removed his own jacket and lay beside his lover. Drawing Ciel close, Sebastian gladly gave his beloved all the comfort the boy sorely needed. All was silent for a time, both males holding each other as if that would somehow keep the pieces of Ciel's broken heart together.

"Say something, Sebastian," Ciel murmured quietly, "Say something that will make this day less mournful."

And Sebastian brought out a ring.

* * *

Months passed all in a whirl of events and emotions that left all involved rather disorientated; Vincent Phantomhive's murderer had yet to be uncovered and all questioned had perfect alibis, leaving Scotland Yard chasing their tails. With suspects depleted, the Yard were left scratching their heads and resorted, yet again, to going through the study where the much loved late-earl had been murdered.

Meanwhile, Sebastian and Ciel had a quiet wedding with only a select few guests that included the Phantomhive servants, Claude and Madam Red who cried throughout the whole ordeal. There was little more to it than that. No party for Ciel detested parties and no foreign holiday honeymoon in case something came up in the proceedings of Ciel's deceased father; the little earl had been forbidden from investigating himself as he was much too close to the case and his judgement would be questioned. Rather than an escape from London entirely, the little lord joined his husband in the Michaelis estate.

The Michaelis Manor, Ciel found, was rather gloomy.

While true, many candles were lit, their light did not seem to fully penetrate the darkness that seemed to have loomed over the building. The walls were papered with fine patterns and the fireplaces were grand and elaborate in design but lacked the maintenance Ciel's own manor possessed. There was some dust too albeit, not enough to trigger the earl's asthma but enough to suggest that the Michaelis estate had not many servants, if any at all.

"Apologies," Sebastian said sheepishly as he set Ciel's bags in the front hall, "It's a little worse for wear in here."

"It's fine," Ciel assured his lover, "Just needs a spring clean is all," he murmured, distracted by an overly large portrait of a couple facing one another but looking out into the room. The woman in the painting wore a particularly sore expression on her ageing face, her golden eyes cold and her skin slightly yellow from either illness or a lack of sunshine. Her greying brown hair was pulled into a tight bun with a plumb deep purple headdress to match her fine gown. Her fingers were adorn with rings and were loose in their hold of her husbands hands.

The man to her right was much friendlier in appearance, beaming down, red-faced, from the frame as he gripped his wife's fingers firmly but not harshly. His eyes were maroon like Sebastian's and his hair was just as raven black except for the greying where age had staked claim on the man as well as the wife.

"I see you have met my parents," Sebastian commented indifferently as he took his place at his partner's side. "Claude and I share a mother. I was told father started his drinking and gambling after she fell pregnant. He married her still. He loved her; even if she didn't return that love, he wanted to make her happy but that left father suffering too. He watched Claude grow and came to mother to beg a child that was theirs for he couldn't bare to give all he had left of his own family to another man's child no matter how much he loved my mother."

Sebastian smiled down at his beloved who was gazing up at his husband with those big blue eyes, swimming with sympathy and affection. "Claude and I were... neglected by our parents, always with a nanny or a maid. Father would get drunk and shout himself hoarse and mother would go away on trips for days."

"I..."

"Shh," Sebastian kissed his little husband's forehead, "Do not pity us, love. Claude and I had each other."

Ciel wasn't entirely convinced that this was exactly a good thing but he dropped the issue as his husband began showing the little Phantomhive to their chambers. The halls were even darker and made the earl feel uneasy as they made their way through to the east wing, to Sebastian's own bedroom.

The door creaked as it opened and Sebastian went around the room, lighting candles. With the sun setting, the Lord did not bother opening the curtains but, instead, lit a fire for his petite husband to warm himself by. The light revealed a large bedroom with a king-size bed that, judging from the colouring of the sturdy wood, was clearly older than both Ciel and Sebastian and, perhaps, even both put together.

Sebastian approached his lover and kissed him softly, "A bath before bed, I think," he mused and disappeared into the joining bathroom. The pipes groaned as Sebastian ran the hot tap but the Michaelis lord ignored it as he began to put a small handful of oils in the large tub. A cupboard to the right of the bathroom door housed the towels, each branded with the Michaelis coat of arms but frayed from age and use.

Sebastian could hear his lover scuffling about in the bedroom as the elder went about preparing the bath. When the bath was done and Sebastian still hadn't been joined in the bathroom, he went into the bedroom to find out what his lover was up to.

Ciel was lying on the bed, completely naked with his legs spread.

A sharp breath was drawn by the Lord, his trouser suddenly much too tight and he unbuckled his belt as he climbed onto the bed and between his lover's milky white thighs. He licked over one of his lover's nipples, earning a groan from the teen. Sebastian chuckled softly, pulling out his cock as he kissed Ciel's neck. "You're so delectable when you're horny, love," he purred in the earl's ear as he pressed their erections together, "Shall I fuck you dry?"

Ciel groaned at Sebastian's lewd words and debated if they could. With Sebastian humping against him, the teen could barely think about anything else. "I don't care," he whined, "Just fuck me! Oh! Oh god!" he cried as his loved shoved deep inside him.

"You alright?"

Ciel nodded with a slight wince and shifted his hips. "I'm fine... just move. Move, damn it!" He gasped as Sebastian began moving, shoving into his lover forcefully as precum already began to leak from Ciel's tip. "Harder," he moaned, gripping Sebastian's hips and digging in his nails. Almost instantly, the smaller was rewarded with harder and faster thrusts as the Michaelis Lord took it upon himself to hammer into the teen beneath him.

It didn't take long for Ciel to come undone, crying out as he climaxed.

Sebastian, however, was not done with his lover and pulled out before encouraging Ciel roll onto his front. Pushing back in, Sebastian immediately began ramming into his lover with brutish force while Ciel moaned blissfully beneath his husband. Both hand there hands on the headboard, Ciel's nails leaving scratch marks as his ass was savagely and willingly pounded into.

"Sebastian..." He emitted many other sounds of ecstasy while, behind him, Sebastian did the same as each bruising shove forward brought them both closer and closer to climax.

They both orgasmed with loud grunts and Sebastian pulled out then rolled as he collapsed, slumping into the space beside his husband. They were quiet for a moment, catching their breath as Ciel became sleepy. Even still, he got up and went to the bathroom for the likely-cold bath that his lover had begun.

Sebastian followed his beloved and a warm smile graced Lord Michaelis' lips. After warming up the bath with more hot water, the two got in to wash. They didn't waste time about it, both much too tired to talk or mess around but kisses were shared most tenderly and touches were not held back as the two sleepy lords expressed their affection without uttering a single word.

Dried and dressed for bed, the newly-weds curled up together under the sheets and quickly fell asleep in one another's arms.


	7. Library

Ciel woke to a cold chill running down his spine: he was in bed with only a little of the covers draped over his small body and he was alone in the room. The fire had burnt out some time in the night and Ciel found himself shivering again as he sat up to look around for his husband. It was a little peculiar for Sebastian to be absent after a night of love-making but Ciel supposed that this was indeed Sebastian's own home and being able to roam free probably granted Sebastian the freedom to leave the bedroom.

The boy groaned softly, a little sore after the previous night, and slipped out of bed to dress. It was a little harder than usual what with the bruising but Ciel struggled on regardless and finally managed to get himself into some trousers and a shirt. Stuffing his socked toes into his shoes, the teen felt he was presentable enough to hunt down his lover and perhaps some breakfast.

The corridors seemed just as sulky as they had appeared during the night and it was therefore even more unnerving to wander through them unaccompanied. Ignoring the unease the unnatural gloom brought on, Ciel made his way down to the lounge, then the study and then finally found himself in the dark pits of the family library.

Lighting a candle, Ciel went inside.

Anyone would suspect how foolish such an act might be; entering a dark, dingy library and armed with nothing but a small flame to break up the darkness might have been madness to some but Ciel was in his husband's manor and was reassured by the knowledge his lover would have informed the small earl had there been anything dangerous inhabiting the shadows.

Despite this, the teen could feel his heart hammering against his chest as he proceeded into the depths of one of the few rooms that had seen a duster. It was strange feeling this unease; Ciel had never been afraid of the dark before and books usually gave him a sense of wonder but, instead, the earl could only feel dread which urged him on for what could it be that stirred such anxiety in his gut?

As he crept in deeper, he came across a door almost hidden by a bookshelf. Gripping hold of the knob, he twisted only to find it was locked. He gave it a shove but the door didn't cave. Why would there be a locked door in the library? Of course it could be just Ciel's unease in the dark, making anything come across as out of place but a little nagging in the back of the earl's head said otherise.

"Ciel?"

The boy jumped at the sound of his name from behind him and Ciel whirled around to find himself face to face with his husband. "Sebastian..." He relaxed and pouted. "Don't sneak up on me. You just took ten years off me."

The lord Michaelis gave his little husband a grin before stealing a kiss. "Why are you in here?"

Ciel frowned. "Why is there a door locked?" he countered.

Sebastian only looked amused. "Claude," he said like that explained everything but continued when Ciel arched a quizzical eyebrow. "Sometimes memories are too much for him so he locks keepsakes in here. Like Father's violin." His hand slipped into Ciel's. "Come on. Let's go see if we can get some breakfast inside you."

The earl's stomach gave an approving growl which made the elder chuckle as the smaller lord was led to the kitchen. To Ciel's surprise, there was indeed a cook who was cutting up meat with a cigarette in his mouth. The cook gave a grunt in acknowledgement of their presents, granting the Michaelis lord a respectful nod before continuing on with his work.

Sebastian, however, was well used to helping himself in the kitchen by now and prepared himself and Ciel a decent breakfast. They ate in the corner of the kitchen that was currently unused but glares from the cook suggested that space was needed. The couple finished quickly and left as the cook grumbled behind them.

"That's Bardroy," Sebastian explained. "Bard doesn't like people in 'his kitchen' but I think that's mostly because it's the only place he can use any form of fire. We caught him sneaking in a flame-thrower once." The elder lord shook his head then smiled at Ciel's look of disbelief. "I wish I was joking."

Ciel cracked a smile, following his lover down the hall. He glanced at the library as they passed it, spying a light flicker somewhere in the depths.

* * *

The wind howled through the trees outside the window, branches rattling against glass. The moon lit up the room when peeping from behind dark clouds that threatened rain, giving life to shadows moving with the trees. It was some time after one in the morning and few stars managed to push their light passed the clouds that seemed to be swelling. Moments passed and droplets of rain began to splash at the window.

Ciel watched as the rain became heavier and heavier. Somewhere in the distance, the sound of thunder rumbled in the heavens and Sebastian stirred next to his lover but slumbered on. The earl smiled affectionately at his sleeping husband, envying the elder male's ability to sleep. Though the teen was tired, he couldn't seem to switch his brain off.

Curiosity burned in Ciel's core, the need to see what was behind that door in the library had consumed him and he couldn't see why he wouldn't be allowed to have a peek at some old junk. If it was family heirlooms like Sebastian said, it was Ciel's right to see them now he had married into the family; more right than Claude who was, in fact, a bastard child.

The thing was, Ciel couldn't shake the feeling that maybe something else lurked behind that door.

Slipping out of bed, Ciel pulled on his night shirt and made his way down the eerily pitch-black corridors with nothing but a candle to light his way. Even then, the flame seemed like a futile attempt to penetrate the thick gloom that swallowed the crepuscular halls. Though anxiety choked the earl, he continued further from the safety of his husband's side and return once more to the shadowed veil of the library.

He found the door with ease, his trembling fingers tracing the door knob as he knelt down to pick the lock. The door creaked with age as it inched open but the air was not as thick with dust as it would have been if simply filled with old junk. Suspicion mounting, Ciel crept into the room as he straightened up and looked around.

It seemed to be nothing more than an old study, a thin layer of dust settled undisturbed on almost every surface. Closing the door, Ciel instinctively approached the desk and began to rummage through the draws. His fingers found paperwork and files with names of noble families that he barely recognised but then... Elizabeth Midford.

The Phantomhive Earl froze at seeing the name of his deceased cousin on the cover of a file in this particular house. The husband had disappeared after Lizzie's unexpected death and, while no foul play was ever suspected, it was suspicious of the man to run off after his wife had died. Had the husband been Sebastian? Surely not for the Midford family would have recognised Sebastian at the soiree.

He opened the file and frowned at the content. Everything about his cousin was in here: her likes and dislikes, the shoes she wore, every known relation and even tedious details like her taste in music and her favourite colour. Why on earth would anyone care enough about the likes and dislikes of Elizabeth Midford? Of course, unless they planned on courting her. All these little details were to ensure Lizzie's affection, to win her over and be the prince Charming she had always dreamed of.

But who...

"What are you doing in here?" Claude's cool tone had Ciel drop the file as he whipped round in surprise. "It's late. You should be in bed." His voice remained even but, in the flicker of the candle light, Ciel could see the icy rage that gripped the bastard. In that moment, the earl realised that he was very much alone in this house and there was no one for miles around; who would hear his cries if Claude attacked him now? Who would find his body locked away in this dusty old room? And, for a moment, Ciel feared that he would meet the same fate as his beloved father.

Then Claude stepped aside to allow Ciel to pass.

Without wasting a moment, Ciel all but flew passed his brother-in-law and hurried to his bedroom where he locked the door and crawled back into bed with his husband. It was not until he had felt Sebastian's warmth that he began to feel safe again. Even so, it was a while before he could fall asleep.

Dawn did not wake the sleeping earl but the kisses on the back of his neck did. Ciel sighed with sleepy contentment as he felt his lover warp his arms around the earl's small frame, placing kisses and playful nips on the creamy white flesh of Ciel's neck. A soft groan left the Phantomhive's throat as he felt his husband press against him, Sebastian's hands running up under Ciel's nightshirt. Ciel's body responded to each touch much like it usually did and the earl welcomed the familiar touch of his lover. Their hips rocked together, Ciel pressing back into his husband's movements for only a little while before he decided that he'd had enough teasing.

Twisting around, Ciel's mouth found Sebastian's as the older male crawled on top of his companion, easing himself between his little lover's thighs. It was a simple thing to have their bodies reconnect with just the thrust of the hips. Both males groaned, their kiss becoming sloppy as their hips rolled into each other. Ciel's fingers raked along his husband's back, whimpering blissfully as his lover's movements sped up.

It didn't take them long to stumble into bliss, finding their climax together under the sleep haze of the morning's ecstasy. Sebastian rolled off his lover and they lay side by side, panting as they enjoyed the pleasant afterglow of their mutual pleasure. Ciel glanced over at his husband only to find a pair of maroon eyes already gazing warmly at him. A blush rose up in the younger male's cheeks but he had no protest as his mouth was teased into a kiss that left them both grinning. The feeling of being sticky was beginning to get to Ciel, however, and they both made their way to the bathroom to clean up?

"Sebastian...?" Ciel hesitated.

"Mm?" Sebastian looked up as he dried himself off, his movements slowing as his attention turned to his lover.

"Has... Has Claude ever been married?" the question sounded odd, even to Ciel, but that file had given him questions he had never thought to ask before.

"Um... Yeah," Sebastian didn't seem particularly happy to be talking about his brother's love life, or maybe about his brother at all. "Some time ago."

"What happened?"

Sebastian shifted. "Er, she died," he explained, "A fever."

"Oh." Ciel began to dress himself. A fever was what Lizzie's official cause of death was but it seemed strange that Sebastian would never mention anything about the relation. Of course many people died from fevers but the file in that locked room had Ciel convinced of the connection between Elizabeth and this family. "That's a shame."

"Yeah, it was." Sebastian agreed. "She was a sweet girl."

Ciel had to agree with that. As bothersome as Elizabeth could be sometimes, she was a sweet girl with a kind heart and had been loved dearly by all who who had the honour of knowing her. Even Ciel himself had harboured a soft spot for his dearest cousin of whom he had loved as he would a sister and he had felt the lost of her death just as deeply as he had felt his father's.

"You sound like you felt her passing," Ciel commented as casually as he could, ignoring the lump in his throat as he turned his back on his lover so that Sebastian would not see the unfallen tears that had begun to well up in those sad, sapphire eyes.

"Yes, she had a way of making you care for her," Sebastian mused, "She was a bright, optimistic fool with a head for romance but she was compassionate and cared sincerely. I think she was brave too; she certainly had to be to be unafraid of Claude."

"What do you mean?" Ciel glanced round at his lover who suddenly looked sheepish and uncomfortable.

"Well, Claude could be intimidating," Sebastian answered carefully, "He never raised a hand to her but there were moments I thought he might."

Ciel was quiet for a moment as he pulled himself together. "Did you know?"

"Know what?"

"That Elizabeth was my cousin."


End file.
